Comcast To Show Some Movies Same Day As Theaters

[Brian in Mesa]

Comcast To Show Some Movies Same Day As Theaters

PHILADELPHIA --

For cable subscribers, it may be another reason to stay away from the movie theater.

Cable giant Comcast has a deal to show selected independent movies at the same time the releases hit theaters.

Comcast said indie films from "IFC in Theaters" will be shown through its "On Demand" service. That technology stores movies, TV shows and other video for subscribers with digital set-top boxes to watch at any time they choose.

The showings, priced at $5.99 each, will be launched on March 22.

The deal with cable channel and film studio IFC will offer about two dozen new films every year to Comcast with simultaneous release in theaters.

IFC was behind such indie hits as "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," "Boys Don't Cry," and "Fahrenheit 9/11".

The first films to be aired include "American Gun," starring Donald Sutherland, and "CSA: The Confederate States of America."

 

[Pariah]

CSA sounds really, really interesting. I already have it in my netflix queue.

 

[Ryanwb]

I would say that movie theaters as we know them today will not exist in the same capacity 10 or even 5 years from now. I see a huge market is this new On Demand technology that DirecTV is launching and the fact that DVD sales have over taken ticket sales for a huge portion of the movies released. At the very least movie rental stores will be non-existent

There is a push to go ahead and release the DVDs the same days they come out in the theaters. Quite frankly I can't stand going to the theaters anymore.... People are so rude now-a-days I rather just avoid the hassel and stay at home.

A new pattern I have seen develop is people buying the tickets online hours before the movie starts. The last two movies I have been to had sold out an hour before it started and they weren't even new releases or anything.